Apparatus for performing intermittent operations on a web

ABSTRACT

A web, in the form of a stringer of slide fasteners, is made up of side-by-side web portions having spaced groups of slide fastener elements being interlocked to form spaced slide fasteners separated by intervening spaces of uniform length where the slide fastener elements have been removed. The stringer then defines alternating portions of greater thickness, represented by the slide fastener elements, and portions of lesser thickness represented by the spaces where the elements are removed. Electrically operated drive rollers pull the stringer along a supporting guide track, which guides the stringer past an operation station including an electrically operated device for performing the operation of placing a label on the stringer. A detector mechanism, responsive to the thickness of the stringer as it moves along the track, responds to the area of lesser thickness to stop the drive and start an operating cycle of the label applying device. An interference finger is normally urged into engagement with the stringer to project between the web portions in the stringer spaces and engage the fastener elements to accurately position the stringer. The interference finger is removed and the drive of the stringer is restarted when the label applying operation is completed.

Jan. 2,-1973 M H. CONTRERAS 3,

APPARATUS FbR PERFORMING INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS ON A WEB Filed Aug. 25, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

INVENTOR Manuel H. Contreras ATTORNEYS Jan. 2,- 1973 M. H. CONTRERAS 3,708,372

APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS ON A WEB Filed Aug. 25, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Manuel H. Conireros 1' QOQZ 7 4/ IO fizmgw ATTORNEYJ INVENTOR Fig.6

Jim 1973 M. H. CONTRERAS 3,708,372

APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS ON A WEB I Filed Aug. 26, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 94 INVENTOR Manuel H. Contreras C201 flazwb ATTORNIJYS' 1973 M. H. CONTRERAS 3,708,372

APPARATUS FOR PERFORHING INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS ON A WEB Filed Aug. 25, 1970 4 sheets sheet 4.

INVENTOR Manuel H. Contreras W1 1! k Fig. I l

@611? fizwl/ Fiqiio' BY -W ATTORNEYS 3,708,372 APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING IN'IERMIITENI OPERATIONS ON A WEB Manuel H. Contreras, Dallas, Tern, assignor to Land Bros. Inc., Dallas, Tex. Filed Aug. 25, 1979, Ser. No. 66,735 Int. Cl. B65c /04 US. Cl. 156-351 13 Claims AESTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A web, in the form of a stringer of slide fasteners, is made up of side-by-side web portions having spaced groups of slide fastener elements fixed to one edge, with the slide fastener elements being interlocked to form spaced slide fasteners separated by intervening spaces of uniform length where the slide fastener elements have been removed. The stringer then defines alternating portions of greater thickness, represented by the slide fastener elements, and portions of lesser thickness represented by the spaces where the elements are removed. Electrically operated drive rollers pull the stringer along a supporting guide track, which guides the stringer past an operation station including an electrically operated device for performing the operation of placing a label on the stringer. A detector mechanism, responsive to the thickness of the stringer as it moves along the track, responds to the area of lesser thickness to stop the drive and start an operating cycle of the label applying device. An interference finger is normally urged into engagement with the stringer to project between the Web portions in the stringer spaces and engage the fastener elements to accurately position the stringer. The interference finger is removed and the drive of the stringer is restarted when the label applying operation is completed.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a web feed and positioning mechanism; and more particularly to control means for automatically feeding and precisely positioning a web at an operating station.

An object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for feeding, positioning, and performing an operation on a web.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for feeding and positioning a web having successive portions of alternately greater and lesser thickness.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved web feeding and positioning apparatus having means coacting with the web to stop the feed thereof, and having means coacting with the web to precisely position it.

A still further object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for feeding, positioning, and performing operations on a stringer of slide fasteners, and similar articles.

These objects are achieved in apparatus for performing successive operations on a web which includes longitudinally spaced portions of alternately greater and lesser thickness. The web is supported and guided on a track United States Patent 0 3,768,372 Patented Jan. 2, 1973 means and is pulled longitudinally along the track by an electrically operated power drive means. An electrically controlled operation device defines a fixed operation station along the track for performing a cycle of one or more operations on the web. An actuator mounted on a track responds to a first condition of web thickness to actuate a first switch to (l) energize the drive means to effect a first condition of the drive means, such as stopping the web and (2) to simultaneously initiate an operation cycle of the operation device. A second switch, which is actuated as a function of the operation cycle, effects a second or alternative condition of the drive means such as advancing the web.

The novel features and the advantages of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the guide frame shown in FIG. 1 for guiding the web into the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a view of an elongated web including longi tudinally spaced slide fasteners which are acted on by the apparatus of the invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of the bottom and top respectively of the web of FIG. 3, showing the positioning of a label in the top view.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view illustrating a por tion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in greater detail.

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6A6A of FIG. 6 illustrating the passage of the web through a hold down bracket.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG, 1 as seen in rear elevation, the plane of reference for this figure being indicated by the line 77 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 8 is a view taken generally in a horizontal plane above the web supporting table of the apparatus, indicated by the line 88 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary bottom view of a portion of the apparatus as viewed along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a portion of the apparatus as viewed along the line 1010 in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 6 illustrating details of the trip and stop mechanisms of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention is embodied in apparatus, as illustrated in the drawings, for automatically applying labels to strip or tape materials, such as slide fasteners. FIGS. 3, 4 and 14 being provided in the stringer between the adjacent slide fasteners. The web portions 11 and 12 are normally formed of a woven fabric, and the fastener elements secured to the web portions are fabricated either of metal, or of a plastic material such as nylon. A bottom stop 16, usually metal, defines one end of each slide fastener on the stringer. In the form illustrated, the interlocking teeth of the slide fasteners are engaged with each other so that the stringer defines a continuous web adapted to be transported past a fixed station defined by a label applying device. In the areas 14 between the slide fasteners, which are of uniform length, the parallel web portions define a longitudinal slot 17 in the stringer.

As seen in-FIG. 4, a label 18 is applied to the bottom end of the slide fastener, adjacent to the bottom stop 16. The label 18 may be fabricated of paper with a suitable adhesive coating provided on one side for securing the label to the fastener. As indicated in FIG. the label may include such information as length, color, price, and a store code. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the front of a slide fastener with label attached, while FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the same fastener from the back side.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the preferred form overall apparatus for feeding and operating on the above-described stringer is supported on a table or bench 20. A support frame 21 defines a horizontal supporting track for guiding the stringer 10 past an operation station or device 22 which consists for example, of a machine for applying the labels 18 to the stringer 10 and may perform other functions as will be described. The stringer is guided onto the frame 21 by means of a guide frame 23 which serves to orient and remove any twists from the stringer which may be withdrawn randomly from a suitable container such as a basket. The frame 21 supports three longitudinally spaced hold down guides 24, 25 and 26 for orienting and guiding the stringer past the operation station. A pulling mechanism 27 which includes drive rollers 28 of a resilient, rubber-like material, pulls the stringer along the guide frame 21. A discharge trough 29 directs the stringer from the drive rollers into a suitable container. A trip mechanism 30 responds to the thickness of the slide fasteners 13 relative to the gaps or spaces 14 between the fasteners, to control the feed of the stringer and other operations as will be described.

Referring now in greater detail to the components which make up the above-outlined apparatus, the labeling machine 22 is of conventional design and generally known" configuration for performing the functions of applying the label to the stringer as well as related functions which will be referred to only briefly. The machine, for example, which is partially illustrated in the drawing is a Model T10 Thermaply Labeling Machine manufactured by Soabar Company, Philadelphia, Pa. The machine 22 handles a paper strip 33 from which the labels are formed, and which may be preformed to define discrete label segments with beveled corners as indicated in FIG. 5. The label strip is coated on one side with a suitable adhesive which is sensitive to heat and pressure. This machine may perform the functions of feeding the label strip 33 in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the stringer 10, the printing of appropriate information on the label segments of the label strip 33, providing a heated platen, and providing a pressure member for compressing a stringer portion and a label segment against the heated platen for effecting the adhesion of the label to the stringer, and severing of the label segment from the label strip 33. As best seen in FIG. 1, the major components for the labeling machine include a base 35 supported on the bench 20, a machine frame 36, a drive motor 37 and a control panel 38 which includes a temperature dial for indicating the temperature of the heated platen.

For purposes of description, the labeling machine 22 is viewed from the front in FIGS. 1 and 6, from the rear in FIG. 7 and from one side in FIG. 10. The machine includes a main drive shaft 40 which drives the several components of the machine, and which is rotated through one revolution to define one operating cycle of the machine. The shaft 40 is driven by the motor 37 through a suitable electrically actuated clutch, and the clutch is engaged to initiate an operation cycle by controls to be described, and is automatically disengaged by the driven machine at the completion of the operation cycle. The label strip 33 is fed from a suitable supply spool, at the rear toward the front of the machine frame 36, and is guided to a position overlying the stringer 10 by a guide 42. As indicated above, mechanisms driven by the shaft 40 may perform the functions of intermittently advancing the label strip and of printing the label segments. The function of severing the label segments from the label strip is performed by a knife 43 which is pivotally mounted on the machine frame 36, and which is actuated by an arm 44 pivotally connected between the knife 43 and a crank 45 fixed to the shaft 40.

A heated platen 48 is provided at the front of the machine frame 36, forwardly of the knife 43 and overlying the path of the stringer 10. A pressure foot 49 is supported directly beneath the platen 48, and beneath the path of the stringer 10; the foot being supported at the forward end of an arm 50, best seen in FIG. 10, which is reciprocated in a vertical direction by a suitable mechanism of the labeling machine operated by the shaft 40. The foot 49 is shown in its lower-most position. During an operation cycle of the machine, the foot is raised to lift a portion of the stringer off the supporting frame 21 and hold it against the heated platen 48, holds the stringer and label together for a sufiicient length of time to permit suitable bonding under pressure and heat, and is returned to its start position. An L-shaped bracket 51 extends downwardly from the foot 49; and its purpose will be described subsequently.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the support frame 21 is supported on the bench 20 and provides a horizontal rectilinear guide track 55 which extends for some distance to the left and right of the machine frame 36. The stringer 10 is transported from the left to right, as viewed in FIG. 1, on the guide track which is further defined by the hold down guides 24, 25 and 26 which are hingedly mounted on the frame 21. The guide 24 is mounted at the leading or entry end of the guide track 55, the guide 25 is mounted at the leading side of the machine frame 36 just ahead of the platen 48, and the guide 26 is mounted adjacent to the right hand or exit end of the guide track.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 8, the guide track 55 is provided with a relatively shallow longitudinal groove 56 dimensioned to accommodate and support the thicker slide fastener portions 13 of the stringer 10, while the web portions 11 and 12 are confined as will be described.

The guides 24, 25 and 26 are generally similar in construction and in mounting a reference will be made to the guide 26 for details of construction which are representative of all the guides. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, the guide assembly includes a generally rectangular plate which is pivotally mounted on the frame 21 by means of a bracket 57 which defines a horizontal pivot axis parallel to the direction of movement of the stringer 10. A forwardly extending finger 58 is provided for manually swinging the guide plate 26 about its pivot for the purpose of positioning a stringer 10 on the guide track. As best seen in FIG. 6A, the guide plate 26 is provided with an elongated groove 59 on its under surface which is parallel to the pivot axis and which directly overlies the groove 56 in the guide track 55.

In the same manner as the groove 56, the groove 59 accommodates the thicker fastener portion 13 of the stringer 10 to permit the guide plate 26 to bear on the web portions 11 and 12 of the stringer and thereby maintain the stringer in intimate relation with the guide track 55. The grooves 56 and 59, then, laterally confine the stringer fasteners to define the rectilinear path of the stringer along the guide track. It is noted that the groove 56 is sufficiently shallow that the slide fasteners 13 of the stringer are supported in a manner to extend above the web supporting surface of the guide track 55.

While the plates of the guides 24, 25 and 26 may be sufficiently massive or weighty to maintain desired down pressure on the web portions of the stringer, these hold down forces may be supplemented by means of magnets or by means of compression springs. As seen in the drawings, a compression spring 60 is provided acting between the center guide plate 25 and the machine frame 36 to urge the center guide plate into more forceful engagement with the guide track surface 55.

For leading the stringer onto the guide track 55, the guide frame 23 is supported on the bench 29 at the entry end of the guide track frame 21. The guide frame 23 has a ladder configuration consisting of parallel side pieces 63 and transverse cross pieces or rungs 64, with the frame being angled upwardly and outwardly from the guide track. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stringer 10, which is indicated by the phantom line in FIG. 1, may be withdrawn vertically from a suitable container such as a basket wherein the stringer is randomly stored, and in passing over the guide frame rungs the stringer is oriented to remove twists and assure proper orientation as it is directed onto the guide track 55.

The pulling mechanism 27, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a frame 66 which rotatably supports the drive rollers 28 in position adjacent the exit end of the guide track 55 to pull the stringer 10 along the guide track and discharge it to the discharge trough 29. The drive rollers 28 are driven by a belt driven pulley 67 through a selectively engageable and disengageable clutch. This clutch is normally actuated electrically, as will be described, and a manual lever 63 is provided for manually disengaging the upper roller 28 from the lower roller 28 when necessary to stop the pull of the stringer 10. The pulley 67 is driven by a drive motor 69, mounted on the bench .20, through a suitable drive belt.

For indexing a slide fastener 13 for proper positioning of the label relative thereto, an interference finger 70 is mounted for vertical reciprocating movement relative to the guide track frame 21 to be extended above the plane of the guide track 55 and to be withdrawn below this plane at an appropriate point in the operating cycle of the labeling machine 22. The movement of the interference finger occurs in the vertical plane of the guide track groove '56 in vertical alignment with the slots 17 provided in the spaces 14 of the stringer 10. The finger 70 is pivotally attached, through a pivot pin '71 at its lower end, to a pivot arm 72 which is in turn pivotally mounted on a suitable supporting frame 73 by means of a pivot pin 74. A tension spring 75 is secured to the end of the pivot arm remote from the interference finger and a suitable bracket of the frame 73 to hold this end of the pivot arm down against an adjustable stop 76. With the pivot arm 72 maintained in the position illustrated against the stop 76, the upper end of the interference finger extends above the upper surface of the guide track and will extend through a stringer slot 17 for engagement with a slide fastener bottom stop 16 as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. It is this engagement of the bottom stop by the interference finger that provides for positive indexing or positioning of a fastener relative to the label applying machine 22.

During an operating cycle of the label applying machine, the stringer 10 is disengaged from the interference finger 70 by the pressure foot 49' which raises the portion of the stringer immediately beneath the platen 48 upwardly into engagement with the platen. With this upward movement of the pressure foot, the associated L-shaped bracket 51 engages the lower edge of the pivot arm 72 to rotate the arm against the force of the spring 75 and thereby retract the interference finger out of the path of the stringer 10. When, as a function of the labeling machine cycle, the pressure foot is again returned to its lowermost position and the interference finger urged to its upper position by the spring, the advance of the stringer will have already begun so that the pressure finger bears against a lower surface of a slide fastener 13 to extend upwardly through the next slot 17 which passes the station of the interference finger.

Control of the apparatus is effected primarily through the trip mechanism 30 which includes an L-shaped arm 78 including a vertically downward extending portion for relative engagement with a switch 8%), and a horizontal portion which extends forwardly over the guide track 55 and carries a roller '79 for engagement with r the upper surface of the stringer 10 and particularly to engage the slide fasteners 13 to detect the fasteners and the intervening spaces 14. As best seen in FIG. 11, the trip mechanism 30 includes a first arm extension 81 fixed to the arm 78 and including a forwardly extending portion positioned to be grasped by an operator, and a second arm extension 82 which is rigidly clamped to the first arm extension and which includes a horizontally extending tip 83 for engagement with the interference finger pivot arm 72 as best seen in FIG. 10.

The L-shaped arm 78 and the arm extensions 81 and 82, then, defined a rigid assembly pivotally mounted on the guide track frame 21, and the assembly 30 is normally urged by a tension spring 84 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the downward extension of the L-shaped arm engages and actuates the switch 80. This position of the trip mechanism 38 occurs when the roller 79 is hearing against the stringer 10 in an area 14 between slide fasteners 13. When a slide fastener 13 passes beneath the roller, the latter is lifted thereby rotating the assembly to the position indicated in FIG. 1 wherein the arm 78 is disengaged from the switch.

The switch is connected through suitable electric control circuitry to the electrically actuated clutch for the labeling machine 22 and to the electrically actuated clutch of the pulling mechanism 27. When the switch is actuated through rotation of the actuator by the arm 78 to the switch engaging position, the pulling mechanism clutch is disengaged and simultaneously the labeling machine clutch is engaged to initiate an operation cycle of the labeling machine. As best seen in FIG. 6, the interference finger 70 will have moved into a stringer slot just prior to passage of the slide fastener 13 from beneath the roller 79, so that when the positive drive of the stringer 10 is stopped the bottom stop of the succeeding fastener is just approaching the interference finger. With the positive drive stopped, the movement of the stringer will stop abruptly due to the drag placed on the stringer by the guide frame 23 and the hold down guides 24, 25 and 26.

As mentioned above, during the operation cycle of the label applying machine, the stringer 19 is lifted from the guide track 55 by the pressure foot and moved into engagement with the heated platen 48. The endmost label segment of the label strip 33 will have been positioned to be compressed between the stringer 10 and the platen 58 to effect the adhesion to the stringer through the applied heat and pressure, and at an appropriate time the cutter 23 will sever the label segment from the strip.

Toward the end of the operation cycle, the pressure foot 49 will begin its return downward movement with accompanying release of the pivot arm 72 elfecting the upward extension of the interference finger through the spring 75. Since it is not desired that the finger 70 reengage the same slot 17, the forward movement of the stringer is begun prior to the completion of the machine operating cycle.

To initiate the advance of the stringer, the pulling mechanism clutch is engaged through a switch mounted on a machine frame 36 in position to be closed by an actuator cam 91 nonrotatably mounted on the machine shaft 40. This actuator cam actuates the switch at the desired time during the operation cycle of the machine so that the incremental feed of the stringer is begun, for example, immediately following the beginning of the downward movement of the pressure foot which releases the stringer from clamping engagement with the platen 48. In this manner, the slide fastener 13 which had been retained by the interference finger 70 for the extent operating cycle, will have begun movement past the position of the finger prior to return of the finger to the interference position.

A forward extending arm 81 of the actuator arm assembly 30 is provided for manual swinging of the actuator arm assembly in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 6, to lift the roller 79 and to engage the arm extension 82 with the pivot arm 72. This effects a manual lowering of the interference finger 70 below the plane of the guide track 55, which may be desired during initial loading of the stringer on the guide track or at other times when the labeling machine is not functioning in a normal manner.

OPERATION The overall operation of the above-described apparatus will now be briefly described.

A stringer is loaded onto the apparatus by passing the stringer over the desired rungs 64 of the guide frame 23, and onto the guide track 55 with the obverse face of the stringer assembly facing upward. The stringer is threaded through the several hold down guides 24, 25 and 26 which may be individually lifted manually to position the fasteners 13 of the stringer within the respective grooves 56 and 59 of the guide track and guides. The stringer is of course positioned under the roller 79 of the trip mechanism 30, which roller may be lifted manually through the arm extension 81. During continued threading of the stringer to the guide rollers 28, the rotation of the trip mechanism 30 in a clockwise direction will simultaneously raise the roller 79 and lower the interference finger 70 from the interference position.

The leader end of the stringer is finally threaded between the drive rollers 28 and located in the discharge trough 29 for direction to a receiving container. For the beginning of the automatic operation, the bottom stop 16 of the leading slide fastener 13 on the stringer should be disposed against the interference finger 70. The roller 79 of the actuator trip mechanism 30 will then be hearing on the web portions 11 and 12 of the stringer whereby the trip mechanism is rotated by the spring to engage and actuate the switch 80 to effect disengagement of the pulling assembly clutch. Engagement of this switch also conditions the labeling machine to commence an operation cycle prior to beginning operations, the heating element for the platen 48 will have been turned on to raise the platen to the desired temperature.

To start operations, switches will be closed to supply power to the pulling mechanism drive motor 69 and to the labeling machine drive motor 37 through appropriate controls. Since the labeling machine is conditioned to commence an operation cycle, the motor 37 will be energized to operate the machine. The machine performs the functions of advancing the label strip 33 to position a label segment beneath the platen 48, raising the pressure foot 49 to urge the appropriate portion of the stringer 10 into engagement with the prepositioned label segment 18 and against the heated platen, withdrawing the interference finger 70 beneath the plane of the guide track 55, severing the label strip 33 to release the endmost label segment, lowering the pressure foot 49 to release the stringer from clamping engagement with the platen, actuating the clutch switch 90 to re-engage the pulling mechanism clutch to effect advance of the stringer, effecting release of the interference finger 70 to be urged upwardly by its associated spring into interference position, and automatically disengaging the labeling machine clutch upon the completion of the operation cycle. Additionally, this operation cycle may include the printing of one label segment of the label strip 33.

As the stringer is advanced by the pulling mechanism, the leading end of the slide fastener 13 to which a label has just been applied passes under the roller 79 to rotate the trip mechanism 30 away from the switch 80. The interference finger 70 will bear against the under surface of the fastener which is held down by the guide 25 and the roller 79. The stringer continues to advance until this particular slide fastener passes beneath the roller, again permitting the roller to drop whereby the trip mechanism again engages the switch to disengage the pulling assembly clutch. Just prior to this the slide fastener has passed the position of the interference finger which is then urged upwardly into the stringer slot 17 in position to engage the succeeding fastener bottom stop 16. The closing of the switch 80 again initiates an operation cycle of the labeling machine with the operation being performed on the succeeding slide fastener 13.

This process continues automatically until the machine is shut off or until the stringer passes completely through the apparatus.

A feature of the described apparatus is that it functions automatically for processing slide fastener stringers including slide fasteners 13 of different length without adjusting the machine. This is due to the fact that the machine is adjusted to respond to the length of the spaces 14 between the slide fasteners 13, and in the normal fabrication of slide fasteners these intermittent spaces 14 are of uniform length.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for performing successive operations on a continuous web, which includes longitudinally spaced portions of alternately greater and lesser thickness, the combination comprising:

means defining a track for supporting and guiding a web for longitudinal movement; power operated drive means for pulling the web longitudinally along said track; an electrically operated control for said drive means;

an operation device mounted relative to the track for performing an operation on the web supported on the track; an electrically operated control for said operation device;

first switch means and an associated switch actuator mounted on the track; said switch actuator being responsive to a first condition of web thickness for energizing said drive means control to effect a first condition of said drive means, and for energizing said operation device control to initiate an operation cycle of said operation device;

a second switch means and an associated switch actuator mounted on said operation device; and said actuator for said second switch means being operated as a function of an operation cycle of said operation device to effect a second condition of said drive means;

a stop member mounted on said track for reciprocating movement transverse to the longitudinal movement of the web; means normally urging said stop member into the support plane of the web for interference engagement with a stop member mounted on the web; and means operated by said operation device for moving said stop member out of the support plane for said web.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator for said first switch means is responsive to a lesser condition of web thickness for energizing the drive means control to stop the longitudinal movement of the web, and for energizing said operation device control to initiate an operation cycle;

and wherein said actuator for said second switch means energizes the drive means control to effect a restarting of the web movement.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stop member is moved out of the support plane as a function of an operation cycle of said operation device; and wherein said stop member is moved in timed relation to the operation of said second switch means to efiect the restarting of the web drive prior to the release of the stop means into interference position in the support plane.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said operation device includes a reciprocable web support member; said support member being movable into and out of the track supporting plane, for engagement with the web, during an operation cycle of the operation device; and wherein said reciprocable support member includes means for moving said reciprocable stop member out of the track supporting plane, coincident with movement of the support member into the track supporting plane.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said reciprocable stop member comprises a finger mounted for movement transverse to the track support plane; an arm pivotally supported on said track means and being pivotally connected to said finger for moving and being pivotally connected to finger for moving said finger; spring means urging said arm to a position to extend said finger into the track support plane;

wherein said reciprocable web support member includes a foot for engaging and moving said web out of the track support plane; and said foot including a member engageable with said pivoted arm for pivoting said arm to move said finger out of said track support plane coincident with movement of the foot into the track support plane.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said switch actuator for said first switch means comprises an arm pivotally mounted on said track means, a roller carried on said arm for engagement with a web supported and guided on said track means, and spring means normally urging said arm roller means into engagement with a web supported and guided on said track means;

said first switch means being positioned to be actuated by said arm when said roller means moves to a position closely adjacent to said track supporting plane; and said roller means moving said arm out of switch engaging position in response to a passage of a web portion of greater thickness.

7. In combination:

apparatus for performing successive operations on successive slide fasteners of a slide fastener stringer, said slide fastener stringer comprising a pair of side-by-side web members; longitudinally spaced slide fasteners formed on said web members by coacting slide fastening elements mounted on confronting edges of the side-by-side web members; a bottom stop for each slide fastener mounted on said stringer; and said stringer defining areas between the spaced slide fasteners comprising the side-by-side web por tions separated by a slot;

said apparatus comprising track means for supporting and guiding the web in a plane; power operated drive means for pulling the web along the track; and an operation device mounted relative to the track for performing an operation on each slide fastener of a stringer moved along said track;

a first switch means and an associated switch actuator mounted on said track; said switch actuator being responsive to a detected stringer area of lesser thickness to stop the drive means and to initiate an operating cycle of the operation device;

a stop member mounted for reciprocation into and out of the track supporting plane; means urging said stop member into the track plane to penetrate the stringer slot for interference engagement with slide fastener bottom stop;

a reciprocable web support member associated with said operation device for engaging the web during a portion of the operation cycle; said support member including means for moving said stop member out of the track supporting plane coincident with the engagement of the web by the support member;

and control means operated by said operation device for starting said drive means prior to release of said stop member into the track supporting plane.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said stringer areas are of uniform predetermined length.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said stop member is moved out of the support plane as a function of an operation cycle of said operation device; and wherein said stop member is moved in timed relation to the operation of said second switch means to effect the restarting of the stringer drive prior to the release of the stop means into interference position in the support plane.

10. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said operation device includes a reciprocable stringer support member; said support member being movable into and out of the track supporting plane, for engagement with the stringer, during an operation cycle of the operation device; and wherein said reciprocable support member includes means for moving said reciprocable stop member out of the track supporting plane, coincident with movement of the support member into the track supporting plane.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said reciprocable stop member comprises a finger mounted for movement transverse to the track support plane; an arm pivotally supported on said track means and being pivotally connected to said finger for moving said finger; spring means urging said arm to a position to extend said finger into the track support plane;

wherein said reciprocable stringer support member includes a foot for engaging and moving said stringer out of the track support plane; and said foot including a member engageable with said pivoted arm for pivoting said arm to move said finger out of said track support plane coincident with movement of the foot into the track support plane.

12. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said switch actuator for said first switch means comprises an arm pivotally mounted on said track means, a roller carried on said arm for engagement with a stringer supported and guided on said track means, and spring means normally urging said arm roller means into engagement with a stringer supported and guided on said track means;

said first switch means being positioned to be actuated by said arm when said roller means moves to a position closely adjacent to said track supporting plane; and said roller means moving said arm out of switch engaging position in response to a passage of a stringer portion of greater thickness.

13. The combination set forth in claim 8 said track means having a longitudinal groove in the web supporting surface for accommodating the slide fastener elements projecting below the stringer surface;

a guide member mounted on said track means, adjacent to said stop member, for engaging the upper surface of the stringer carried on said track means; said guide member having a groove disposed in confronting relation to said track means groove for accommodating the slide fastener elements projecting from the upper surface of said stringer web; means urging 1 1 said guide member into engagement with said stringer web members whereby said confronting grooves confine the stringer fastener elements against lateral movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,240,652 3/1966 Lamers 156-361 2,760,290 8/ 1956 Miller et a1. 156-361 3,389,038 6/1968 RobisOn Jr. 156-362 5 DANIEL J. FRITSCH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

